Bright Side Of The Moon
by PinkRangerV
Summary: When Kimberly discovers a new destiny, she also discovers a new teammate. Can the man on the moon have a bright side? AU. Not telling the pairing--that would give the plot away! M for swearing.
1. Chapter 1

A\N: Okay, so since everyone's lost interest in _Trust_ and _Pink Love_, I thought I might as well start a new fic, this one with an unusual pairing. However...is it freindship? Romance? Or is it a hate-each-other pairing? I'm not telling! Muahaha! (P.S. If you want _Trust_ or _Pink Love_ updated, tell me--I only got one review for each of the last chapters, and those were along the lines of 'interesting'! Kinda gets a girl down!)

* * *

KIM

Carson City, Nevada: Don't Move The Buildings Closer Or You Won't Be Able To See The City town. _Real_ fun. Especially when there's a bad guy on the loose. Thank the Gods it's close enough to California so they know how to run away when there's monster attacks, although a few wise guys decide to help me and nearly lost limbs.

Now I'm trying to hunt the thrice-damned thing down. And trust me, that makes a boring day in Carson City, Nevada look like downtown AG on a Saturday night.

"Come on, you little freak," I mutter, "Crawl out from whatever rock you're hiding under..."

"Miss? Are you wearing a Power Ranger outfit on purpose?"

I sigh, then pull out my blaster and scorch a rock. Then I turn to the cop. "You know, I am actually having the worst day of my life. So if you could get lost, I'd _really_ appreciate it."

The cop scrambles away, and I sigh. Okay, so scaring the cop wasn't my brightest move, sue me. Diana only told me a week ago that I was destined to carry the Power and hunt down the monsters the Rangers couldn't handle. I'm still getting used to the job. And let me tell you, the pay sucks.

"Okay, lizard man." I snarl under my breath. "You're asking for it."

The flames leap from my skin, Maligore's gift turning out to be useful at last. I smirk. Almost worth Divaslut kidnapping me. Although Jason doesn't feel that way--something about her hitting on him before she tossed him in the bilge with me. There's times when I wonder why Divatox doesn't just go find a freakin'--

The lizard darts out and tries to bite me on the ankle. I step on it. "Okay, lizard boy, that was the stupidest move I've ever heard of. Want to come out and go to jail peacefully, or not?" Thank you Jen for letting me use SPD containment cards, I think to myself.

The lizard pops out, screaming, "You can take my life but you can never take my power!" He leaps headfirst at me.

I kick him in the stomach, sending him to the ground. "Good luck at the badly-thought-out-battle-cry awards." I tell him, smirking. I contain him and pick up the card, listening to his pleas for alternately freedom or death. Maybe I can take the weekend off. Jungle Fury's been doing better than most teams. I should be able to at least catch a movie.

I feel the thud and see white everywhere. When I blink back my vision, a blur of gold and blue is standing over me. "Hello, Miss Kimmy."

God. F^%&ing. Damn.

I roll away, springing to my feet. "Crane, come to me, my agile spirit." I murmur. The Crane leaps obediently from my chest, looks at Goldar, and asks, _And what am I supposed to do about this again?_

_Help out a little?_

_You do realize I'm a bird, right? That thing'll snap my neck!_

_Some help you are! Since when are you chicken?_

The Crane shoots off, offended. I feel our bond being tugged and ignore it. Goldar's a pretty tough enemy, especially after he's gotten a hit in. I need to focus.

I kick at Goldar, who nearly chops my foot off with a broadsword. Damn, damn, damn..."So where'd you come from?" I ask. "Rita back?" I really hope not. She's the biggest bitch I've met.

"I will kill the Power Rangers!"

Oh, great. Goldar's gone nuts. I kick him in a really sensitive area and he bends over, wheezing. I yank his sword away and pull out my bow. That always helps, although lately it's taken the form of a longbow, which isn't helpful. I hate those things. So hard to aim.

Goldar notices that and follows me, his sword swinging with the accuracy of a demented two-year-old. Eventually a blow lands, right on my side, and I collapse.

Damnit, Diana, why'd You do this? I can't pull this off! I'm hardly awake!

"Do not try my paitance, Goldar."

Oh, _*&%*%&*&%^&*#$*(&#$#($*&#&. _This just took 'bad day' to a whole new level. Please, please let me be hallucinating Zedd's voice, please Gods let that be Jason or hell, I'd even take the rookie Red, just not him, please...

I hear a sizzle and feel my hair stand on end. Then I smell something frying. I push myself up and nearly vomit. Goldar's...well, been struck by lightning.

Zedd walks over to me and touches my side with his staff, murmering something I can't quite pick up. I scream as my side explodes in agony, then clench my teeth as it fades.

"Amazing. You won't so much as whimper when I'm trying to kill you and yet a tiny healing makes you scream with pain." Zedd says dryly.

I tell him to do something anatomically impossible.

_"Kimberly, that's no way to treat your teammate."_

I get up, cursing Zedd and Diana with every motion I make. Zedd watches impassivly, and the ever-beautiful hunting goddess ignores the mental curses I aim at her.

"W. T. F." I don't say the edited version. "Are you nucking futs, Diana? First this whole 'huntress' thing, then this...this..." I am at a loss for words.

_"It was not my doing that the Power bonded itself to you. As for Zedd, he was once a Ranger as well. He has been my Hunter for a long time, but without a Huntress could do nothing, and was therefore bound to the Dark Court."_ Diana smiles sadly._ "Some of your pain has indeed been my work. I was testing you."_

I resist the urge to tell the whole Universe off. I'm a Witch. I'm supposed to know better. "Diana, seriously, what are you talking about?" I try instead.

"I am a Hunter, as you are a Huntress." He is enjoying this way too much. "It is an office installed by the Almighty Zordon to do, in essence, what the Rangers do. However, it is on a much more serious level. Otherwise Zordon would have simply let five-year-olds take care of it."

I send him the kind of death-ray Look that only a ticked-off, probably PMSing woman can give. "I didn't ask you." I snarl. "You sure don't look like Diana."

"Neither do you." He retorts.

I bite back the first awnser, since it's not something I really want to get into, and settle for: "At least I have _skin_."

"At least I know better than to argue with a goddess."

_"Enough, children."_ Diana says. _"You are teammates now, and you have a rather important mission. The owner of this is coming to Earth, and he will destroy it."_ She hands me a pendant. _"I will leave you to your work."_

I turn the pendant over in my hands as Diana vanishes. "There goes my weekend." I grouch. Although I might be able to fobb this off on RJ if I'm smart enough about it...

"That's Dark Specter's symbol."

Or I'm stuck working with Zedd.

And then my mind catches up to the conversation. It only needs one word to state its opinon.

**_ZEDD?!_**


	2. Chapter 2

A\N: I got reviews, I got re-views....

* * *

ZEDD

The human is, as her species would put it, hot.

I allow my eyes to roam over her stomach while she fixes her car. I could easily repair the vehicle for her--after months of fixing Serpentara, I should certainly be capable of understanding one technologically-challenged landspeeder--but I prefer to watch her bend over. She's slightly dirty, of course, which is a drawback, but I find her bared skin to be very intriguing.

"Zedd..!" Kimberly snarls, not knowing my last name and too proud to ask.

"Yes?" I ask innocently, much the way I did this morning when she walked out half-naked. I take some pride in the fact that it was _she_ who forgot I was there, not I. And at least I had the decency not to stop talking over it.

"Stop staring at me! For the millionth time!" Kimberly tosses her wrench to the ground in frusteration. "Lord, what is the matter with you? We're supposed to be catching Dark Specter, not...whatever you're doing!"

I decide to tease her a bit. It's always fun to see her work herself into rages. "You know perfectly well what I am doing, dear Kimberly."

She gives me a look of pure hatred, and I wince. That woman has a psychic signature like no other. "My apologies. I should not have teased you. I will go and be sure we are...er, ready to go? That is how you say it here?"

"Like you can't speak English." She turns back to the car, her stormy mood broiling onto the car's engine. I sneak away and hear curses and metallic thuds. Likely she is punching it or hitting it with the wrench. I do hope she's hitting it with the wrench, as I do not like trying to heal hands. Far too many small bones.

This is...quite interesting. It seems I am not the only one to find our mutual relationship (if our breif partnership can be called that) irritating. And honestly, I find it rather pointless. Hunter and Huntress is an aincent term, true, for the defenders of Earth, but how did I get suckered into such a thing? I hardly even know Zordon, despite being one of the (in)famous Zordon's Children.

I gaze at the green Dino Gem glued to my wrist. Well, at least Thomas didn't know of this. I would have been forced to be one of his teammates, and I can always stare at Kimberly to relieve my inner annoyance. Thomas is very much not my type. Far too noble. I really don't know how Kimberly stands him.

Perhaps she is attracted to the mirroring darkness in him. Mother know she has enough darkness in her, although she denies it...I sigh. Perhaps Diana can help Kimberly work through some of it, or at least learn to stand up through it. She gave up so easily while a Ranger, as if she were sucummbing to the darkness in the only way she could. At least she had Tommy to stop her from dying by a monster's hand. Suicide attempts by monster, and Zordon never noticed...it's things like these that make me approve of the Dark Court. At least they never brainwashed children. (Karone doesn't count--Dark Specter just kept her from becoming a slave. Quite worthwhile, in my opinion. At least Karone could choose some of her fate.)

Well, it hardly matters. I did get a few good remarks in, anyhow. My line when Kimberly was finally clothed was priceless.

"You coming?" Kimberly snaps. "Or you gonna daydream all day?"

"Are you going to learn proper grammar?" I ask smoothly, rising to my feet and holding up a cooler. "You hardly have any food here. Do you eat at all?"

Kimberly snatches the cooler from me, storming off. Lovely. I follow her, saying, "I did mean that out of concern."

"Just get in the damn car."

Back to swearing now, are we? I climb into the car, allowing her to drive. She is better at it. All I have commandeered, in terms of terrestrial veichles, is a landspeeder when I was a thousand. They are probably different than cars. Given all the levers and pedals she uses, it appears to be the case.

"Why don't you bleed?"

"Beg pardon?" I ask, surprised.

"You don't bleed. You don't have any skin, but you don't bleed, and you don't even wince when you touch something." Kimberly says.

"That is for me to know and you to never find out." I smile under my mask. "Unless we--"

"Finish that sentence and I will make you walk."

"I don't even know where we're going." I point out.

Kimberly sends me another look of pure hatred. This time I feel slightly dizzy at the force of her rage. "All right, all right. I apologize."

She turns back to driving, and I sigh. "You really ought to calm down, Kimberly. I'm not your enemy any more."

"You're still an ass."

Well, what do you expect? Tell teenagers that all their problems stem from someone and they'll hate them for the rest of their lives. Teenagers are far too vulnerable, mentally, to withstand any Eltarian.

Kimberly is still hot.

"Why aren't you pissed off?" Kim asks. "You hated my guts a decade ago."

"No. I merely thought that killing you would prove to Zordon that making children Rangers was a bad idea." I explain.

The wave of remembered fear envelops me. "Cute." Kim snarls, trying to cover her emotions with rage. "Real cute."

"I gave up on that idea within a week, if you must know. Dark Specter would insist I take you out, though. He enjoys murdering females."

"I enjoy murdering misogynists." Kimberly snaps. She switches the radio on. Instantly bubbly music which hangs pink and gold in the air pours from the stereo.

I switch the station, fiddling with the dial until the music is black and red. Those are more soothing colors for me, far more natural.

"Driver picks the music." Kim snaps, pushing a button.

"Not when the passenger has synthesia."

"Syn what?" Kimberly asks, confused.

"Synthesia. It means I see sounds as colors in the air. And that music is disgusting."

"I repeat. Driver picks music."

"And I repeat: when are you going to learn grammar?"

"I'm really considering duct-taping your mouth shut."

I decide to take my life into my hands. "Mmm...only if you're naked."

"Did you know I actually carry a pistol with me?" Kimberly pulls it out. It's plastic, black, and lethal-looking. "And I'm one of the best shooters at any range."

I take the subtle hint. "Of course you are. You're probably the best shot in the galaxy."

Kimberly whacks me with the pistol butt. I yank it away from her, putting it on the backseat. "Give that back now." Kimberly growls.

"If you can't learn to play nice--" I reel suddenly, thinking curses from twelve different languages as she sends a wave of psychic energy at me. Pink and gold combine with that to make me a very unhappy Zedd.

I suddenly notice that the words spilling from Kimberly's lips aren't pink at all, they're a deep red. Almost like blood, interestingly enough.

I really want to taste those words.

"Zedd?" Oh, she's talking. Yes, I should probably respond.

"Yes, Oh Beautiful One?"

Kimberly still looks unsettled. "Shut up. Or I will really make you walk."

I shrug, shutting up.

Of course, this only lasts for fifteen minutes. Then Kimberly snarls, "Stop staring at me."

"I'm not staring."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"You are."


	3. Chapter 3

A\N: More fun Kim\Zedd stuff...BTW, guys, REVEIW!!!!

* * *

KIM

_Dark Specter is looking down at me again. He's huge. How the hell did anything, _anything_, get that damn BIG?!_

_"The little Hunters." He snarls. "I'll eat you alive."_

_He reaches down and picks up Zedd, and I can't move, I'm frozen, like the dream I had where Zedd killed Tommy...Zedd squirts blood everywhere and Dark Specter reaches for me. Oh, god, no, I'm going to die, I couldn't save them, I couldn't--_

I consider waking up and not screaming to be a major accomplishment.

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. That sucked royally. I mean, okay, I've had dreams like that before, Gods know--Tommy was only one of the many dead my brain decided to display--but Zedd? I don't give a damn if he dies.

The shower turns on, and I frown. Yeah. Definitly don't care if he dies.

I get up groggily, deciding that yelling at Zedd is just going to point out that my voice must sound horrible. I spent at least an hour yelling at him after our battle. He did pretty well, though, despite his sudden willingness to shoot anything that moved. (The squirrels were not evil. Rabid, possibly. Psycotic, definitly. But NOT evil!)

What is he trying to do, run me out of hot water? I slump into a chair, wondering if I could just hit myself on the head hard enough so I'd die and not have to worry about nightmares anymore. Especially when I have to wake myself up so they don't turn into other nightmares.

"You should not be awake this early."

I turn my head and feel my jaw hit the floor. Zedd's..._naked_.

And...human. Or Elvish. And...really hot. Oh my sweet god, I should not even be thinking like this.

"Zedd?" I ask as calmly as possible.

"Yes?"

"Why aren't you wearing anything?" My tone is the dangerously sweet one I hate. It always lets the boys know when I'm about to castrate them.

"I did not assume you would be awake." Zedd shuts his stunning purple eyes (they are not stunning, Kim, get a grip!) and suddenly he's wearing black boxers and an undershirt. "My apologies. I did not realize your culture was so worried about the body."

I stop staring at him, trying not to let him know exactly how much I liked seeing that. "You tried to kill me for over a year. Seeing you naked is something of a shock."

"That was a decade ago." Zedd argues. "Isn't that a long time for your race?"

"Not if someone tried to kill you."

"Ah. What is that you are drinking?" Zedd asks.

"Coffee." AKA what you drink when you don't need sleep.

"Doesn't that wake you up?" Zedd looks bemused. "Not that I couldn't do with trying it...it must be good, after all. You drink it constantly."

"I don't get much sleep." I say shortly.

"So why keep yourself awake?"

"Why hide behind an illusion?" You ask something personal..."Ugly for your speices or something?"

"Hardly. I was persued by almost every eligible Talian female until I left my planet." Zedd says, sipping the coffee he's poured himself and making a face.

"Put milk and sugar in it." I tell him. "What, you're a model or something?"

"King, actually. Of Talia."

I snort. "Who got the lobotomy?"

"It is an inherited position. I never really wanted it, and there isn't much left to rule." Zedd says absently. "The Dark Court destroyed it."

"Oh." Oops.

Zedd sits next to me. "It hardly matters. I didn't spend much time there, and it's been thousands of years. To me, it is long enough for the greif to pass, to a point."

"Why'd you join the Dark Court if they blew your planet up?" I ask, doing my best impression of a totally nosy asshole. But hey, he's giving out awnsers, I'll ask questions.

"They kidnapped and brainwashed me." Zedd explains. "The same way Rita brainwashed Thomas, although I very much doubt that she tortured the child. She is very protective of children."

"Uh-hunh."

"You are not a child, Kimberly. You have not been for some time, I suspect."

"No shit, Sherlock." I snap.

Zedd smiles, and it's like his whole face lights up. "I did not say it was a bad thing."

I really feel stupid for blushing, but I let it go. "I had an ultirior motive for staying with the Dark Court, of course." Zedd says offhandedly. "Zordon's Council of Light seems determined to break as many children as possible. The Dark Court considers all children, save Power Rangers, off-limits and to be protected." His grin becomes wicked. "At least, they did as soon as I got to them."

I sigh. "Yeah, right. You did see the kid Dark Specter nearly squished, right?" If only someone was that nice. Kids are just easy targets in the real world.

"That's why he tripped. And Dark Specter has never supported the idea of anything peaceful. He only went along with it because I threatened to disembowl him."

"So if he's so scared of you, why's he attacking now?" I reply.

"Because I was a Green Ranger once. The Power stayed with me, inside of me, and is now taking over my natural Magyk. I am nowhere near as powerful as I should be."

"Oh. I'm sorry." I offer, then, hesitantly, reach out and take his hand.

He smiles again and squeezes it gently, saying, "It was no one's fault. The Power chooses those most open to it. They should not always be given morphers." He laughs gently. "I have a feeling Zordon would send a five-year-old into battle if he thought the Power dictated it."

"You were a Green Ranger?" I ask.

"Why else would I have contemplated making Tommy my heir? I have none, and no real chance of a biological son, honestly. I do not form more than bed partnerships with anyone." Zedd says. "I assumed another Green would be easier to train and hopefully become something like a child. I did not realize that he would not see it that way. Your culture is very odd, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"What happened to your arms?" Zedd asks. "Or is that another thing your culture dictates against?"

I touch my arm, drawing away from him. "I caught a sword on it. Tommy nearly took it in the head, so I think this is a bit better."

Zedd shakes his head, then reaches out, his fingertips touching the scar. It fades away under his hand. "A woman as beautiful as you should not carry scars for others."

I'm definitly blushing. I hate it when I do that. "Tommy saved me hundreds of times." I say, feeling a sudden urge to defend him.

"Yes. He did. And perhaps he should also have noticed that you were hardly fit for battle at the time."

"I was perfectly capable of fighting." I snap.

"Mentally."

Damnit. "How do you do that?" I demand.

"The same way you do. Tiny details add up in my mind and allow me to ask the right questions." Zedd smiles. "My synthesia helps. I am able to see the details as colors in a puzzle, which fit together quite well."

"What do my words look like?" I ask, curious.

"It depends. Sometimes you are angry and they are red and black. Sometimes, though, when you are open and ready to talk...then they are gold. Gold is a healing color." Zedd explains. "It's good that you talk."

"You don't know much about me."

"No. I would like to." Zedd offers.

I hate it when he does that. I hate it when he's honest and says something I want to punch him out for. "Was that an offer, or were you hitting on me?" I ask, turning it into a joke.

"An offer." Zedd smiles. "But I don't mind waiting for you to be comfortable with me. You are an interesting woman, Kimberly. And beautiful." He offers me a rose, the flower somehow appearing in his palm without a stem or a plant around.

I take it. "It's beautiful."

"Your people see roses as a symbol of love." Zedd says. "I thought it appropriate."

I sigh. "Can't you just drop it?" For the love of God, Zedd, I don't want to think that way about you.

"I am being honest. I will always be interested in you." Zedd smirks. "I think you will always be interested in me."

"You wish." I snarl, setting the rose down. "I'm going to bed."

Zedd stands, saying, "Why are you so afraid of loving me?"

"I'm not afraid. I hate your guts, and I have every reason to." I tell him. "And I need sleep before Dark Specter decides to attack again." I'm being such a jerk. He's being totally nice and I'm being a jerk.

Zedd smiles, stepping closer and wrapping me in his arms. I try to pull away, but he's stronger than me. "Let go." I tell him, my voice weak.

"You don't want me to." Zedd says, his fingers playing in my hair. My hands are on his chest, and I can feel the muscle beneath his shirt. Oh, lord. This is wonderful. "Do you want me to kiss you?" He teases.

"Go to hell." I whisper, wishing I didn't want him so much.

Zedd kisses me, his toung opening my mouth before I can so much as move. I gasp as he explores my mouth, gently and passionatly. Christ. Christ on high, I shouldn't want this, shouldn't love it...

I slip my arms around his neck, leaning into him and pushing back with my toung, trying to kiss him. He growls, getting a little rougher, plundering my mouth. I moan aloud, my body telling me in no uncertian terms that I've fallen for Zedd.

Zedd. Of all the people...

He runs his fingers down my spine, and I get tired of him being so damned good at turning me on, kissing him back insistently. He moans and pulls away. "You did want me to kiss you." He whispers in astonishment.

"Yeah." I admit. "Damn you..." I lean my head against his shoulder. "You taste good."

Zedd tilts my face up, kissing me again. It's just as heated as the last kiss, just as astounding. I have got to be insane. I'm standing in my kitchen making out with Zedd in the middle of the night. This...this is totally insane.

It's wonderful.

I pull away for real, saying, "I need to sleep."

Of course, I don't. I just lie there, staring at my ceiling, and wonder whether I can just lock Dark Specter and Zedd in a room and be done with it.


	4. Chapter 4

A\N: I just got done writing a REALLY dark fic (I blame PMS), so lemme know if this didn't come out right.

* * *

Interesting.

I look at my partner-in-crime (is that not how Earthlings say it?) and smile. "Well, at least we know what we are doing tomorrow."

"Shut up."

I sigh. One kiss, and she becomes as irritable as that...that...Mystic Mother. Who, might I add, tossed me aside like yesterday's trash and is therefore severely lacking in taste. I would not like to see how Kimberly is after bed play. Although the bed play itself might be quite fun, if Kimberly's kisses are anything to go by.

"Kimberly?"

"What." That was a snarl, I believe. Interesting how many different words humans have for speech.

"Why are you so angry at me?"

Kimberly looks over at me and shakes her head. "Because you kissed me, you idiot."

Ah. "And that was a bad thing?"

She considers. At least she has learned that she has a better chance of lying to God than me, her body language is so obvious it's pathetic. "Yes. I don't need distractions."

"Sometimes distractions help you relax." I point out. "Before a challenge, it could be crucial that we are calm enough to fight Dark Specter."

"I know exactly how to kick his ass. Booby-trap the whole damned arena."

"You cannot possibly get to Greece and have time to do more than sleep before the match." I point out.

"You can take me."

I sigh. "Do I have a choice?"

"No."

I hold out a hand. "Your clothes?"

"I'll worry about that later."

I refrain from saying that if I have to make another trip, I will certianly be irritated. I doubt I will, though. Kimberly dislikes asking me favors. She is somewhat afraid I will ask for something in exchange. "Do Power Rangers not...get points for fighting fair?"

"Not when the world's at stake." Her face is angry and beautiful. I lean down and kiss her lips gently as we disappear. Kimberly hesitantly kisses me back, not taking it farther than pressing our lips together. I don't mind. At least she enjoys the kisses.

We appear in Greece, at the ruins Dark Specter has dictated we meet at. The notion of the challenged setting the time and dates for the battle has not occured to him.

"Perhaps we do not need these traps."

"Plant bombs, or sit down and shut up?" Kimberly asks.

"Go look around." I take the third option. "I will find us a hotel room. Meet me there when you are finished planting bombs." She astounds me sometimes, she truely does.

Greece, however, is beautiful. I appreciate the open-air markets. People seem much more normal here, and it only takes a minor spell to speak grecian.

I spot a beautiful red dress Kimberly would love and ask, quietly so I do not attract attention, "Excuse me, stallholder, but how much is that dress?"

People stare. I wince. Perhaps looking so elegant in my Talian form was not a good idea after all. "Cheap to you, sweetie." The stallholder, who is apparently homosexual, says with a wink.

I offer a gold coin. "Would this do for a trade?"

"Sure thing. Buy you a little more, too."

I ignore the innuendo, grab the dress, and take off. A hotel rooms sounds very good right about now. A hotel room with the doors locked and movies on.

Yes. That sounds wonderful.

* * *

I hear Kimberly arrive and smile. An afternoon was long enough to consider seducing Kimberly. After all, we do have a hotel room...

"Hi, Zedd." Kimberly sets some groceries down. "You could've at least gone shopping."

"I tried. A stallholder...er, how do you say it? Hit on me."

Kimberly starts laughing. "Now you know how I feel."

"I doubt it. I am not homosexual."

"I mean that I don't like you hitting on me all the time. Karma's a bitch, hunh?" Kimberly begins to cook, and I get up.

"Let me cook. I have had nothing to do all afternoon. Oh, and I thought you might like to try the one thing I did manage to get."

Kimberly looks at me suspiciously.

"It's over there." I nod at the dress, and Kimberly smiles wryly.

"And you got this because..?"

"I am trying to woo you. Why else would I have kissed you last night?"

"Because you're nuts? This is really pretty."

"Try it on." I say with a smile. I really want to see her wear it, simply because she is far too beautiful to not dress up sometimes. And after all, she does enjoy dressing up.

She walks out of the bathroom and I really regret that I'm cooking. I want to go and kiss her again. "You are astounding." She is, really. She looks beautiful, yes, but also unsettlingly seductive, the flaring ridges forming a diagonal line down her body, her chest half-showing.

"Thanks. Quit staring." She joins me in the kitchen, chopping food. "This looks good."

"It should be." I walk over to her and kiss her. She whacks my shoulder playfully, and then settles into the kiss, battling a little harder for dominance than last time. I let her have it, enjoying the feeling of her exploring my mouth.

"Damnit. Quit kissing me."

"You like it."

"Of course I do. Quit."

I roll my eyes, going back to cooking. "Why are you so stubborn about this? We are simply enjoying our feelings. It is not a bad thing."

Kim sighs.

"You are still upset over Thomas' treatment of you?" That boy was really ridiculous. Putting someone on a pedastal does not honor them, it just annoys them. No wonder Kimberly broke up with him. "Angry over some lover I will probably end up torturing? Please. Tell me."

Kimberly pauses, her hand still on the knife. "You...you were my enimy. I don't know how I could live with myself if I wanted you."

"But you do."

She sighs in frusteration. Apparently my progress last night was pointless. I walk over to her, taking her into my arms. "I'm just asking that you not be afraid of me, Kimberly. Is that so much?"

"That's not what I want." She whispers into my shoulder. "That's not what I want and we both know it."

I smile in triumph. "I think I would like that as well."

"God. Zordon would kill me."

I feel it hit me like a thunderbolt. Of course! She is afraid of Zordon's disapproval. Of course. Zordon's mentees tend to see him as a father. She would feel bad about doing something he disapproves of. Well, that is easy enough to help. "You're an adult, Kimberly. Zordon would understand that. And I think he would be proud of you for doing what you want."

Kimberly kisses me passionatly. I try to kiss her back, but she shoves my toung back in my mouth, almost deliberatly trying to hurt me. "You sure that's what you want?" She demands, near tears.

"Yes." I tell her, kissing her again. This time I take control again, proving my strength. "I can handle it."

"No you can't." She nips at my neck and I growl. Mmm, this is wonderful...

I carry her to the bed, crawling on top of her and running my toung up her face. She shudders in pleasure, and I laugh. "Fun, isn't it?"

"Yes." She whispers, admitting defeat. "It's fun."


	5. Chapter 5

A\N: And who saw _that_ one coming? *smirks*Oh, so fun to mess with your little heads...muahaha!!

* * *

KIM

I wake up and feel a warm body curled against mine. Mmm. I like being warm.

Then my brain registers that it's _Zedd_ curled up against me.

My eyes fly open, and Zedd shoots up. "Wha--?" He demands blearily, then falls back onto the bed and mutters, "I hate morning." The feeling's mutual, Zeddie.

I slip out from under his arm, searching out my clothes. Lord on high, I must have been insane! Zedd? Of all the people in the world...

He understood. He knew I wasn't perfect and he still loved me enough to be with me.

How the hell did my life get this complicated?

I go into the kitchen and slump onto a chair. The ruins of our dinner is still on the table. We were too busy playing to clean up. What would Zordon say? He'd be furious with me! I slept with the enimy. What the bloody hell was I _thinking_?

Zedd walks out and asks, "Why are you awake so early?"

I shoot him the kind of look the Dino Thunder Red got when he tried to hit on me. Zedd blinks and says, "Never mind then."

Lord. I have got to be totally insane. Oh, god, I could be under a spell or mind-control or this could be Maligore's flame coming back to haunt me--

Zedd sets coffee in front of me. "Not Starsmucks, but you like this kind, don't you?"

I stare at him, wondering if he's brain-dead or just retarded.

"What's the matter?" Zedd asks, sitting down. At least he's wearing boxers, unlike our last coffee conversation.

"I slept with you." I point out. "That's...we're enimies."

"No we aren't. Zordon and I were enimies. You and I are whatever we want to be." Zedd looks mock-proud. "And I look _much_ better than that fool Thomas, so what's the problem?"

I laugh at his stupid face. "The problem is that this isn't..."

"What Zordon would want? Since when do you care what someone else thinks about you?" Zedd asks. "Anyone that special must be extrordinary. That or you mistook Zordon for someone else. The Mother, perhaps. Although She does not look that ugly."

I just start laughing. Lord and Lady, he's actually right. This is so stupid. I'm not perfect and I don't have to be.

"Drink your coffee." Zedd says. "Perhaps it will get rid of your mood swings."

"Mood swings?" I echo, still grinning. Yum. The coffee's good. "When'd you learn to make coffee?"

"When I was at your home. I thought I might as well learn to make it, since it tastes so good."

I shake my head, not sure why I'm so insane all of a sudden but going along with it. "You're a good boyfreind, Zedd."

Zedd kisses me, saying, "And you are a good girlfreind, Kimberly."

I think...I think this is okay.

I'm falling in love and I think it's okay.

Then I see the clock and nearly choke. "Shit! We have to meet Dark Specter in half an hour!"

* * *

Dark Specter is really stupid.

I duck as my bombs go off. "Let's booby-trap the place." Zedd echoes, rolling his eyes. At least, I think he is. Hard to tell behind the illusion. "Wonderful idea."

"It is, actually. Note that the bombs are _water_." I half-shout over Dark Specter's screams. "That's why he's screaming!"

"That's why he's ticked off!"

I leap out from the pile of rubble, shooting my Power Bow. The arrow hits Dark Specter in the eye, and Zedd shoots out, trying to take advantage of the opening.

Dark Specter grasps Zedd in his hand, lifting him up.

I freeze, and Dark Specter sees that.

"STAY THERE, PINK RANGER. OR I WILL EAT YOUR LITTLE FREIND HERE!" He laughs.

O-kay. Problem. Serious problem. Crap crap crap. I glance around. Out of bombs, can't really do much or he'll notice and eat Zedd...shit.

"Kim!" Zedd shouts. "Kill him!" Thank you so much, Braniac. Mind telling me just how to do that? "Don't worry about me!" Yeah, you're totally insane.

"LISTEN TO HIM. I HAVE BEEN WANTING TO PUNISH THIS DESERTER FOR A LONG TIME." Would you two mind shutting up so I can concentrate, please? I'd really rather not lose the best boyfreind in the world. Especially since I only slept with him once.

I look around again. Nothing. Absolutly nothing. What in the name of all the hells...

Something _dark_ seeps into my mind, and I remember a phrase Jason taught me. Anything is a weapon. Anything at all.

But darkness?

I sigh. My choices are to either do what's right or make sure my lover stays alive. Great. Couldn't just be nice to me for a change, couldya, Universe?

I reach for the darkness reluctantly.

I'm almost instantly overwhelmed by the pain. The pain of my father's insults. Of Tommy's evil times. Of...of my nightmares...

_Goddamnit. Why the hell do we have to go through this _every damn time_ we get a new power?_

_I look around. No Diana, unfortunatly. I could tell her off for this. Why am I so freakin' annoyed today? Well, my boyfreind being held hostage might have something to do with it..._

_"KIMBERLY."_

_I see Zordon._

_"YOU HAVE FAILED YOUR TEAMMATES."_

_Fifteen once again. After Zedd's pathetic attempt to marry me. "I'm sorry." The words come from my mouth before I can stop them. Y'know, I'm really considering just letting this dream run its course out of spite. Would I get the power then?_

_"YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF BEING A RANGER."_

_On the other hand, I could look at this as something to beat up. I think I like that option better._

_"Beg pardon?"_

_Zordon blinks._

_"Okay, so this dream...right. Zedd kidnapped me, proposed to me, I said no, tried to escape, he kissed me--nothing like his real kisses, I might add, he's a way better kisser than that--and then I ran off and the Rangers all hate me now. Okay." I roll my eyes, and suddenly I'm older than twenty. Thank you. "Go to hell."_

_"I BEG YOUR PARDON?"_

_"The Power is bonded to my soul. You want it?" I hold out my wrists. "Take it. You'll have to watch me bleed, have to watch me die. You can't, Zordon. And this isn't you. In the real world, you never even mentioned this. You wanna fight me in this dream, though? Go for it. I'll win." I look down. "Why am I wearing Jason's uniform?"_

_"It's blood."_

_I look at the Rangers. They're all some various state of dead. Nooo, I couldn't just tell Zordon off and go save the world, that'd be too easy. "Why are you dead?" I ask. A perfectly reasonable question._

_"You killed us. Zedd turned you and you killed us." Tommy says. He's crying. "Why, Beautiful? I loved you."_

_"Grow up. I broke up with you in a letter and you gave up. That's just pathetic."_

_Tommy turns into the Dino Thunder Black Ranger and attacks me. Lovely. I parry and stab him in the stomach. "I can kill you." I say calmly. "I can kill all of you because you know what? I fell in love with Zedd. Zedd of Talia. And I'm happier with him than I was with anyone else."_

_The Rangers stand down, and the dream fades._

I glance at myself. Please let my new power be cool. After _that_, it had better be.

I'm wearing red, pure red. Red Ranger. Okay, that's cool. I move my arm.

I start flying. No wings, just some kind of levitation.

_Very_ cool.

I aim my Power Bow while Dark Specter's busy gaping and shoot an arrow into his eye. Since it's one of my exploding arrows, it hits Dark Specter's brain.

He howls, dropping Zedd, who shoots the weirdest barrage of spells I've ever seen at the guy, and trust me, I've seen some weird ones. Dark Specter staggers a bit, and I hurl myself at Zedd, sending us bolth flying out of the way.

I land on top of Zedd, and sit up, hitting him in the shoulder. "What the hell were you thinking? You moron, you nearly got us both killed!"

Zedd smiles. "But I got you on top of me."

I pause, then grin wickedly. "That's a good thing?" I ask, leaning down and kissing him passionatly.

"Yes." He says when I come up for air. "A very good thing."


	6. Chapter 6

A\N: All good things must, unfortunately, come to an end...

* * *

I roll over and groan.

Why does she do this? Every single morning. It's not as if she'd miss anything by staying in bed one day. Her Red Ranger powers keep her body the same. She could be eating nothing but junk food and sitting on the couch all day and her metabolism would accommodate.

"Morning." Kim comes in, wet from her shower, and drops the towel on the floor.

"You're early." I tell her. "You could stay in bed, you know."

"Do you want a repeat of the sugar thing?" Kim asks dryly. "Anyway, the other Reds decided I needed to be initiated, so I need to clean."

"Only you would see being humiliated as worthy of cleaning." I tell her. "Come back to bed. I know a better way to get exercise."

Kim laughs and crawls in with me, kissing me passionatly. I growl, flipping her onto her back. "You taste good." I tell her.

"You always say that."

I lick her neck. "You always taste good." I moan as her fingernails run down my spine--

Ding-dong.

I get out of bed and start dressing.

"What're you doing?" Kim asks, dressing as well. "It's probably just Jason."

"I know. If Jason is here I may as well give up on trying to sleep. The psychic energy would drive me insane."

Kim accepts that, since it is, technically, true. "You might want to stay away from the house, then. I'm pretty sure the rookie's coming over, Casey, I think. Yeah, Trini's brother."

"Trini's adoptive or biological brother?" I ask. One was, for a three-year-old, mildly tolerable.

"Adoptive." Damnit. Oh, well, makes me happier. I can only imagine the look on Jason's face when I...no, don't even think that, still not sure how much telepathy Kim has.

"You hiding something from me?" Kim asks suspiciously.

I kiss her again, the kind of kiss I ususally give her before we make love. "That?"

"Get off, you goof." Kim says, shoving me playfully. I let her go greet Jason, who is now treating the doorbell as his own personal toy.

I wait until Kim yelps, then jump out the window. My staff appears in my hand, and my illusion of skinlessness falls into place. Jason probably remembers me in his nightmares. He'll remember this in his nightmares, too.

Kim's in the woods, trying to keep the Reds from tying her up. She's doing fairly well, really, given that they outnumber her drastically and she's still getting used to her ability as, in her words, the human flamethrower. Still, I should intervene.

So I do.

Kim rolls her eyes at my dramatic appearance, and the tossing of one particularly annoying Red (Connor, I believe) into a tree. He looks up and says, "Dude, that is so cool!"

"Connor?" Ah, so it is Thomas' protege. How gratifying. "That's the _bad guy_."

"Yes. And I would like to know why you think kidnapping my mate is a good idea."

Silence reigns, and I smirk. So Kimberly _didn't_ tell them. No surprises there, but still, this is quite amusing.

"Your _what_?" Thomas says.

"DIE!" Jason screams, the idea that Kimberly and I have done something together reaching his brain. I toss him into a tree as well. They really should pick better battlegrounds.

"Kim, what the hell?" Thomas asks.

Kimberly sighs. "Meet my boyfreind."

The scene devolves into chaos, and I smile at my lover's glare.

I really enjoy my life.

"You're sleeping on the couch for a week."

On second thought, I hate my life.


End file.
